I love this place! I live in California but have family in western Mass. I've been here four times now, once for food, twice for music, and once for the luthier himself. All were delightful. The decor is outstanding. The music is intimate, varied and always fun. And Steve is completely at home with his place. I could not recommend it more highly. Just go! read more

The best music scene in the area, legendary open mic. Great crowds, and amazing team that runs it. read more

Luthier's Co-Op - Botanica Wilde on stage - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Easthampton, Massachusetts

I've been wanting to add a ukulele banjo to my collection for a while, and was happy to find one here. Patient and kind support--I sat and played several different instruments for quite a while. I found a Slingerland from the 1930s in decent shape. My go-to uke guy in Burlington--Nowa at Randolin--set her up for me nicely. (BTW once set up, she's staying in tune beautifully: it's a fable that banjoleles don't stay in tune. :} ) I'll certainly visit Luthier's again when next I'm in Easthampton, and I hope I get to hear some music. Feels like a great, relaxed environment to listen, eat, and have a drink or two. read more

Luthier's Co-Op - The banjolele I bought. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Easthampton, Massachusetts

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My teen son who plays guitar loved visiting and trying out a guitar. We will be back!

The best and only bar I've ever liked. I'm not much of a drinker but am here often. Lots of great music, the tuesday night open mic is the best, great food, great atmosphere, a steady flow of unusual guitars coming through, and good people running the place. read more

My favorite bar. Cute, unique, great staff! Interesting open mics and events. I could look at the decor with the instruments all day.

This was our first time there and we were impressed by the intimacy with the performers on stage. We were following a musician who played there. There is access to food and beverages from the adjacent connecting bar. There is a limited menu with snacks a plenty. If you want a quieter atmosphere just go next door. The sound proofing allows for that. read more

I am a little confused as to who to review. I am reviewing the food which is technically made from the Lovebird Kitchen, but it is inside the establishment called Luthier so I guess I am reviewing Luthier. We sat in the bar where the music was. the other room with the tables was full and we wanted to hear the music anyway.We had to go to the bar and find someone to order it from, which was inconvenient, but the waitress was really nice and assured us she would have no trouble finding us and serving our food from the other room. Anyway, we were honestly just there for the music, so I wan't expecting anything much from the food. I thought it would be typical bar food. I had the best chicken sandwich I ever had in my life. What a surprise! It was so tender and delicious and a bit spicy which I love. I had a great salad too. It was unique and fresh. The portions were generous. We came for the music, (which was awesome) but I would go back again for the food! read more

My favorite bar in the 5 colleges area. I drive out from Northampton to come to this place. Great drinks, nice ambiance and not too crowded. I'd say this may be one of my favorite bars of all time, including SF and NYC. read more

What a great find! Luthiers is a music shop by day, selling and repairing instruments and offering lessons, and a bar by night featuring live entertainment on the weekends. Luthiers is located in downtown Easthampton. Parking may be a challenge at peak times like Friday and Saturday nights (like when I went in) ... but you will find some. They have a great selection of beers on tap. They have a full bar in the back and they have a bar serving beer by a stage where various local acts perform on the weekend. I was in for an acoustic set and then for belly dancers. Luthiers also offers food. I did not get a chance to check out the menu, however. We ordered some South West egg rolls and they were delicious. The service was exceptional. The crowd was chill. I even ran into one of my college classmates who I had not seen in years on my visit ... which was a real treat. In summary, 2 thumbs up for you Luthier's read more

Luthier's Co-Op - Belly dancing last weekend 1 - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Easthampton, Massachusetts

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Wow- what a great venue to see live music! We got there early and enjoyed dinner. They had these Tiger Stripe chicken tenders on special- they were so hot and so delicious! Burgers were great too. Lots of local beers on tap, and a full bar. I love that if you're still on the restaurant side when the live music starts they have a live feed of the show on a tv at the bar. The sound was great, it's a small space but still comfortable. Very inviting. Highly recommend checking it out. read more

Luthier's Co-Op - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Easthampton, Massachusetts

I can't believe I moved to Easthampton without knowing about this place. I'm learning to play the banjo, and this place is as wonderful a resource as I could have asked for. This is no Guitar Center, and that's a huge compliment. Most of their stock seems to be consignment, and the variety is pretty interesting. There are a few Fender Strats and Squires, but there are also a lot of brands that I've never seen before. You probably won't recognize a great instrument here just by its looks or model name, but, given the expertise possessed by the people who work here, there are surely some treasures waiting to be found by someone patient enough to explore them. Electric and acoustic guitars, mandolins, pedal steels, banjos...there's a lot to see. And yet, the place doesn't really feel like a retail store. It's not packed solid with gear. Rather, it just feels like a big workspace belonging to the people who own and run it, very personal. And work is certainly being done here. I usually walk in to hear the sound of some kind of woodworking machinery emanating from the back of the store while someone else is at the front desk, tool in hand, working on a guitar or violin. Lessons sometimes take place in a small practice room in the back, or sometimes right in the center of the store. There's free coffee available and a few tables and chairs where you can have a seat. The first time I entered the store, I was looking for a banjo strap. They carried a new one that was a little overkill for my lightweight banjo, and it costs something like $25. However, they also figured out that they had a used mandolin strap that I could use on my banjo with some adjustments, and they sold that to me instead for $3. This is not a high-pressure sales place. The people who I've spoken with at the shop genuinely love the instruments and the music. I think they'd rather just quit the business than worry about squeezing every last dollar out of someone. Like I said, this is no Guitar Center. You might be able to find a cheaper instrument somewhere else. In fact, I'm sure you can, but you'll get what you pay for. I bought my first banjo pretty cheaply from a guitar shop in Worcester. It wasn't set up correctly, it was poorly built, and it fell apart in a year. For the same price at Luthiers Co-op, I could have bought a much nicer banjo (it's the one that Jane plays during our lessons) that is not only manufactured well but has been in the hands of people who know and care about it. As mentioned above, I've been taking old-time banjo lessons here. Jane, who teaches banjo, is an amazing person to know. She's been working with stringed instruments all her life, and she's an inexhaustible source of knowledge about my instrument and the music I'm learning to play. Because I'm an intermediate player, and because I don't have any well-defined goals, our hour lessons are more like conversations in which we talk about whatever songs or techniques I've been playing with. She seems comfortable offering me advice without forcing me to accept it. "As long as you're playing the music the way you want to hear it, that's good" is what she says. The lessons I've had so far have given me a lot of confidence to continue exploring the banjo. I don't feel boxed in by technique or style. Every week I leave excited to continue playing. My lessons are $45/hour, and I bought 5 up front for the price of 4. 1/2 hour lessons are $25 I think, but they might vary depending on the instrument/teacher. I've never had to bring an instrument in for repairs, but given my experience so far, I would absolutely trust them. Like I've said, they seem to really care about the instruments, so if there was something they couldn't take on they would say so. Aside from the services they offer, the coop also hosts several musical events every month. On wednesdays, the Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton hosts an open mic here with an admission donation of $5. There's also a string band jam on the 3rd friday of each month. These and other events in the region are posted in the front window of the shop. Easthampton's artistic community is quiet compared to that of nearby Northampton, but it's also a lot more personal and close. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of it. This is quite a long review. There's a lot to say about this place, because it's not your typical instrument shop. Not by a long shot. I hope you will check them out. read more

Luthier's Co-Op - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Easthampton, Massachusetts

We did not have food, don't know if they even have food. There is a bar attached. But what is outstanding is just the venue. Guitars, fiddles, and there string instruments hanging everyone. Stage with wonderful performances through the late afternoon and early eveing. Can't say if they are good luthiers or not; but for an evening out, cool setting, a few drinks, you wont go wrong. read more

Luthier's Co-Op - Sweet place. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Easthampton, Massachusetts

Can't believe its taken me 2 years since moving to Easthampton to discover this place, and I've been through downtown Easthampton a lot, passing by this place. The reason why I didnt know is because at first glance, or any glance at the outside of the business, it looks like it's probably just an instrument or guitar shop. And yes, they are an instrument shop, but ALSO a bar that has live music nights and open mic. Almost nothing on the outside of this place advertises that they serve drinks and are a music venue, plus the fact they now have food in the form of Ray Ray's Cafe, a separate business being run inside/sharing the space. I really think they're signage needs to change to advertise them a little more, because Luthier's Co-Op and Ray Ray's cafe is awesome. It's kind of a place you really need to peer in the windows to understand or just hear about from someone. I love the interior design. It's eclectic and colorful. The walls are covered in various stringed instruments and vintage photos of musicians from all over the world. Very fun decor. One half of the place is a bar with a space for live performances, and tables to sit at. The other half is has more seating and a bar and has access to the counter to order food from Ray Ray's. The live performances are not as loud on this side, but theres still a tv to watch a live feed of the performances which is pretty cool. The atmosphere is fun and laid back and a place I want to hang out when I want to just chill, enjoy tunes and hang with friends. I know the place also offers instrument lessons and sells instruments but I have no dealings with this side of their business so no comment. Another thing I wish they could improve on is an expansion of beer offerings, but I heard that they do not have storage space for more beers so what the have is what they can offer. So I understand that and it's a shame but I'll live. The beers they do have are largely local and with some interesting flavors/styles you might not have had before. I'd comment on the food but the food belongs to Ray Ray's Cafe business and as soon as they get a page on yelp, I'll go there for that, but I gotta say, it's great when a bar has food too. Anyway, I see myself coming back here a lot. read more

I was not impressed with the knowlege of the staff person I saw. I had an acoustic with humidity issues. 2 minutes of Google searches showed me the instrument needed humidification. The tech didn't seem to recognize the signs at all. He thought the guitar needed action reset and processed to do so with a truss rod adjustment.... Now I'm no Luthier, but most guitarists musicians know truss rods are for neck adjustment and NOT for setting action. The neck should be set straight THEN action is adjusted. The fact that he didn't seem to know any of this concerns me. I can't speek to the quality of the bar or music shop, but I would look elsewhere for Luthier work. He did not try to charge me for the truss rod adjustment and seemed like a nice fellow so I am giving 2 stars instead of 1... read more

Friendly staff. I brought my son's Fender Strat in for a setup as it was a bit buzzy on the low E string. Picked it up 4 days later and was told there is a 30 days warranty on the service. After my son tried it for a few minutes he showed me that the low E string was still buzzy, so I called and the owner/manager picked up...instead of saying "bring the guitar back since the service was just performed and it's under warranty", he got upset and proceeded to point fingers at my son's age and ability to play even though he never met him, he then pointed out that he has over 25 years experience and knows what he's doing (I never questioned his abilities, not sure why he felt the need to share that), and inspects every guitar before they leave his shop. I explained that I'm more than 50 minutes away and will be out of town for the weekend but I can bring the guitar back early the following week (still well within the 30 days warranty), he continued to be upset saying "now you can't bring the guitar in till next week, how long am I supposed to wait, I can't warranty it forever", when I clearly told him I'm only out of town for the weekend. This guy should not be in Customer Service, he should leave it up to the people that work there to deal with customers. A real Luthier would have been helpful and encouraging to a kid. My son heard this phone conversation and didn't want this guy anywhere near his guitar again, I couldn't blame him. I brought the guitar to another Luthier and he immediately pointed out the issue, he also showed us that the intonation was off and he fixed the problems right infront of us in less than 30 minutes. I called back the owner of Luthier's corp to tell him, he immediately jumped to "you're not getting ur F***ing money back, you will not question my F***ing work", screaming a bunch of profanities, very unprofessional. Again, helpful staff over there so this review is not about them, this is about our experience with the owner, he should take a lesson in customer service from his staff or let them deal with all customers since he seems to have issues dealing with people. I will never recommend him as a Luthier read more

A gem and a must see on the Cottage Street strip, it's actually two venues. Luthier's is the combination stringed instrument store by day, beer and wine bar and performance venue by night. Performances are always free and diverse. Crowd trends mature and things tend to wrap up on the early side. Backstage Bar, literally backstage on the other side, offers a full bar, a screen displaying what's on stage next door, and is quite spacious. The space is absolutely beautiful, from the restored tin ceilings to the decorations celebrating the roots of American popular music. Backstage stays open past the end of performances on the Luthier's side and sometimes has programming of its own. Two bathrooms serve both sides: non gendered, spacious, and lovely. Welcoming, diverse crowd, queer friendly. Only unfortunate point is the loss of Ray Ray's cafe, which had served quality late night food. Bring your takeout from Kisara, Daily Operation, or Mission Cantina down the road for now, until they sort out new food. read more

This place is awesome! Vintage instruments (and awesome tube amps), a small stage for entertainment and a bar! As a guitarist (very amateur at that) this is heaven! It's that place you dreamed of with some of the most magical guitars ever crafted - vintage guitars that you've heard about and would love to play. The amps are fantastic as well, I saw an old Marshall combo there for a good price and may have to go back for it! Dropped off my vintage acoustic for some repair work and it was clear the owner (I forget his name) knows guitars. He appraised it and did a thorough check to determine what was needed. The fact that there's bar there and entertainment is icing on the cake. This is a really cool place. I hope to get up there for a Friday or Saturday night so I can just hang out drinking a couple of beers and listening to other music lovers play. If you like music, beer/wine and can appreciate the art of the stringed instrument, you are missing out if you don't check this place out. read more

A+ for the bar, the staff, and the drinks. Not a place to bring a date or someone you want to catch up with, as the energy is predominantly focused on the live music. read more

I have been brooding for years about an unpleasant repair job done there. I brought in a Gibson J-200 because it needed a neck reset. They did the job, but it wasn't right. I brought it back and after awhile they agreed to redo it. It still wasn't right. Also there were scratches on the pick guard that weren't there before, and there was dried glue all over the joint. I gave up. Years later I was talking to a NYC luthier about my experience, and he said my problem was "co-op". You don't know who you are getting or their skill level. There's no one in charge and accountable. I finally took it to a real, nationally know luthier (Harry Becker in Easthampton, MA) who confirmed that the damage they did was irreversible. Harry managed to get it playable again by lowering the bridge within an inch of its life and other tweaks. There is no more room for adjustment via the truss rod. It is unsellable. This year and model are going for between $2000 and $3000 on eBay. If you need major work on a guitar (not set up, pickup replacement, etc.) they can probably do it (I can do it at this point). FIND A REAL LUTHIER INSTEAD. The bar is great, the beer is good, and the performances are fun. read more

Awesome place with a constant flow of talented musicians. Most nights, with the exception of Sunday's, one can find local folk, country, rock, and more in a casual atmosphere. The music is both free and not too loud (most nights). The addition of the second side allows one to meet with friends and chat without the presence of the stage. The crowd frequenting the place are welcoming. In all the years I've been going, I've never seen or heard of any issues. In addition to wines and drinks, they always have local beer offerings on tap. read more

I love this place! Whoever thought hey, let's put a bar in a music shop is a genius! There is also a little stage and free live music most nights. One night when I was sitting there a bunch of the audience members grabbed some instruments off the wall and started playing. Where else does that happen? I think the only thing missing here is unicorns....anyways, go here if you want to be meet cool people, drink good beer, and buy a guitar (I can proudly say I made a drunk guitar purchase) best guitar ever too! read more

This review pertains to the bar side of things, not the music store side. This place is such a neat concept ... I think it's really cool how they turned their music store into a hangout, and for the bar, the instruments hanging all over the walls make decorating a snap. I do wish that there were a little bit more of a drink selection, but overall we had a fun time. read more

Love this place. Amazing instruments with tons of character. Service is awesome, I've had the headstock of my les Paul glued back on and it is great 2 years later, and i use 13 gauge strings on it!!!I have gotten a Gibson J-60 from there, that was stepped right through by a child, they repaired it amazingly! It is my favorite instrument I own, battles scars only seem to add to the charm of it. I also have a Regal Mandolin and and Ibanez mandolin I got there, and a squier tele and a fender resonator. Wow as i type this i realize how many instruments I have goten there. Support local buisness! They do shows and open jams here which is such a unique experience! 5 stars all the way read more

Every now and again you run into a place that you hope to find before everyone else does when it's published in some stupid thrillist or "best places you've never heard of" type articles. This place is unreal and almost to the point it hurts me to review it, the down to earth pretentiouslessnes is unbelievable. Great beers without the 12 dollar a glass price and amazing music make this place my go to spot to bring my friends. read more

This is a magical place! It's been exciting to watch the Luthier's co-op grow over the past 5 years. Through Steve, I've built a back line of colorful, unique, and mojo-havin' antique instruments on a bread and butter budget. Best of all-- now I can bring my friends to sit in a crowd of guitars, mandolins, and banjos to toast the best local ales and sink away in the talents of Jazz fusion trios, artful song writers and young PVPA's guitar slingers. I admire Steve's integrity as a shop owner, he's dedicated to the shop's role in the community, and it's boosting the volume of my favorite Western Massachusetts town of Easthampton. If your looking to slip away for an evening with the real thing. This is it. read more

Went to the recently expanded Luthier's with a friend I wanted to catch-up with. LOVED the new bar area - you could hear the live music in the next room and still have a nice place to sit and chat. It's the best of both worlds for me. Really appreciated their thoughtfully curated list of local beers - we will definitely be back! read more

My husband and I decided to check this place out. We loved the erstwhile Platinum Pony, but the alternatives seemed a little care-worn and frankly dowdy. This place has great music, and from what we saw, awesome and charismatic, compassionate staff. (There was someone there who needed social services and they dealt with them very compassionately and responsibly.) The tap beer options were great, the cocktails were solid, and the vibe was superlative. read more

This place is fantastic. I brought in two guitars and a bass to get set up before a tour and these guys did a top notch job. Definitely planning to bring my guitar back in soon. read more

Terrible selection of mandolins. Expensive! Lots of clutter and junk there. Not sure if they repair instruments or not, looks like a bar

I called the shop on a Wednesday afternoon asking if they repair violins. I had a gig at the Iron Horse on Thursday and wanted to come in first thing in the morning to get it fixed. I called the Luthier's Coop because I heard that Dave Bromberg had his violins worked on by one of the luthiers there, a fella named Ron. Anyway, the person on the phone assured me they could fix my violin in time for my gig Thursday night. I got to the shop at the agreed to time and they said the person who repaired the violins wasn't coming in that day! I was freaking out. I had to rent one from a guy in Amherst who was very nice but over charged me. Anyway I won't be back to Easthampton any time soon. read more

I can't be more thrilled with my experience at Luthiers. I brought my guitar in for a set up and electrical work. My guitar had never sounded better or played smoother. Also, I was accompanied by a friend whom brought his guitar, which been full of problems due to poor service elsewhere. He was merely looking to get an opinion as to what the problem could be. They not only were quick to point out all of the problems with it, but took about 20 minutes to work on it, no cost to my friend. We were blown away by the professional courtesy and genuine generosity of the fine people at Luthiers. I highly recommend them for and musical needs. read more